Digest of Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya’s Office on Education and Science, February 2023 / Issue 2
Please send information about everything related to education in Belarus to our secure and anonymous chatbot @eduOST_bot. Tell us the news from your educational institution or government department regarding repression and various forms of pressure from authorities, write to us about facts of corruption and new orders that seem unreasonable or irrational to you. We also […]
March 09, 2023
“For Belarusians, you are heroes”. Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya addressed Belarusian volunteer fighters
Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya: “Exactly one year ago today, Belarusians in Ukraine formed the Kastus Kalinouski Battalion. Although many had been defending Ukraine since 2014, it was the battalion, now the Kalinouski Regiment, that became the symbol of the Belarusian-Ukrainian struggle for freedom. We share not only an enemy with Ukrainians but also a common vision for […]
March 09, 2023
Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya addressed the Royal United Services Institute (RUSI)
RUSI is a prestigious expert center that focuses on geopolitics, international affairs, and security. It provides in-depth studies of the situation and war in Ukraine. The audience of RUSI includes politicians, officials, advisors, and defense specialists. In her half-hour lecture, Ms. Tsikhanouskaya talked about the current military and political situation inside Belarus and presented numbers […]
March 09, 2023
Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya’s speech at the event at The Royal United Services Institute (RUSI): “The war won’t be over until Belarus is free”
“Dear Excellencies, friends, colleagues. It’s an honour to speak at the Royal United Services Institute on behalf of the many courageous Belarusians who fight fearlessly every day for freedom, democracy and the independence of our country. While the eyes of the entire world are on the war in Ukraine, I will be speaking about another […]
March 08, 2023
Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya’s speech at the hearing at International Relations and Defence Committee House of Lords in London, 2023
“Honorable Lords and Baronesses, Dear excellences, dear friends of free Belarus, Dear Lord Foulkes, I want to start by thanking the International Relations and Defense Committee and each one of you for your willingness to take brave steps to defend security and democracy in Europe. As you may know, I am only here because of […]
March 08, 2023
Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya met House of Commons Speaker Lindsay Hoyle and House of Lords Speaker John McFall
The politicians received Ms. Tsikhanouskaya in their offices in the main building of the Palace of Westminster. The parties discussed the situation “on the ground” in Belarus, and the sentences of Ales Bialiatski, Ms. Tsikhanouskaya herself, and trade union leaders. They also discussed the brave actions of Belarusian partisans, including the damage to an A-50 […]
March 08, 2023
Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya met with British Labour Party leadership
The meeting included the leader of the Labour Party Keir Starmer, his deputy Angela Rayner, as well as the shadow Foreign Secretary David Lammy. The leaders of the Labour Party in the British Parliament expressed their support for the Belarusian people and Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya. They discussed supporting trade unions and imprisoned activists in Belarus, joint […]
March 08, 2023
Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya’s speech at the Cambridge Union, 2023
“Dear friends, It is a big honour to be here at the Cambridge Union today. I am aware that your past speakers include British prime ministers Winston Churchil and Margaret Thatcher, US presidents Theodore Roosevelt and Ronald Reagan, and the spiritual leader of Tibet, The Dalai Lama. All are titans of the political landscape whose names […]
March 07, 2023
Issues of Belarusians in the UK, support for media, and platform for collecting evidence. Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya met with the UK’s Foreign Minister and Minister for Europe
Today, Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya started her working visit to London. She visited the Foreign Office, where she met with Foreign Secretary James Cleverly and Europe Minister Leo Docherty. The following issues were discussed during the meeting: Repressions in Belarus. Ms. Tsikhanouskaya talked about the recent sentences of Siarhei Tsikhanouski, Ales Bialiatski, rail partisans, members of the […]
March 07, 2023
Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya met with former Prime Minister of the United Kingdom Boris Johnson
The parties discussed the situation in Belarus and the recent brave act of Belarusian partisans in damaging the A-50 plane in the Machulishchy air base. Ms. Tsikhanouskaya noted that the act showed the vulnerability and weakness of the Lukashenka regime. The Belarusian leader also spoke about rail partisans and other Belarusians who help gather useful […]
March 07, 2023
“This is not the first time that the regime finds an ‘extremist formation’ in people helping Belarusians defend their rights”. Kristina Rikhter commented on the recognition of the Belarusian Association of Journalists as an ‘extremist formation’
Kristina Rikhter, Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya's advisor on legal issues, commented on the recognition of the Belarusian Association of Journalists as an 'extremist formation': “Today, on March 7, the regime was reported to have recognized the Belarusian Association of Journalists as an 'extremist formation'. The decision was made by the KGB on February 28. This is the first […]
March 07, 2023
How to support political prisoners and their families in Belarus?
Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya addressed Belarusians, thanking them for their efforts to support political prisoners. She also explained what everyone can do to demonstrate solidarity with unjustly imprisoned people in Belarus. Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya: “The other day I had a personal conversation with a man from Mahilyow. He didn't call us with an idea or a problem that […]
March 07, 2023
Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya commented on her sentence
“I am not surprised by the so-called judgement against me today. I don't feel sad, because I am safe and I can continue my work for change in Belarus. But I feel bad about thousands of those in Belarus who are sentenced to real prison terms. Their voices are heard less and less. But i […]
March 06, 2023
Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya on the verdict against Ales Bialiatski and his colleagues
“The verdict for the Viasna activists is inhuman and cruel but predictable. This is revenge for their resilience. Revenge for their solidarity. And finally, imprisonment of the Vice-President of the International Federation for Human Rights is a spit in the face of the international human rights community. I have seen photos from the trial. I […]
March 03, 2023
Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya will be in London on an official visit on March 6- 9
During the visit, she is scheduled to meet with Minister for Europe Lord Leo Docherty, Lord Speaker of the House of Lords John McFall, and Speaker of the House of Commons Sir Lindsay Hoyle. Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya will meet with the Belarusian diaspora, speak at the Royal United Services Institute for Defence and Security Studies (RUSI), […]
March 03, 2023
Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya’s speech at the opening ceremony of the Mission of Democratic Belarus in Brussels, 2023
“Your Excellency Hadja Lahbib, Your Excellency Minister-President Jan Jambon, and members of your cabinet, Your Excellencies Ambassadors, dear members of the European Parliament and officials of the EU institutions, Dear Belgian friends of free Belarus and my dear Belarusians, It is a big day. Here, a few kilometers from European Institutions, Belarus got a new […]
March 02, 2023
Mission of Democratic Belarus was opened in Brussels
The space will host cultural events, political meetings, exhibitions and, as Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya noted, “for the first time in 28 years, Belarusians will have their own place in Brussels.” The mission will be headed by Vladzimir Astapenka, a former diplomat who left the Belarusian Foreign Ministry in protest against the repression. Symbolically, he opened the […]
March 02, 2023
Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya met with Vice-President of the European Commission Margaritis Schinas
Mr. Schinas and Ms. Tsikhanouskaya discussed migration issues and simplifying asylum requirements and migration conditions for Belarusians fleeing war and repression. They also discussed new documents for Belarusians, including the passport of the new Belarus, which could temporarily solve the problem of Belarusian refugees. Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya asked Mr. Schinas to facilitate the participation of Belarusians […]
March 01, 2023
Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya had a meeting with Vice-President of the European Parliament Nicola Beer
Since early 2020, the Vice-President has actively supported Belarus and was one of the initiators of the People's Embassies of Belarus in different countries around the world. Apart from Ms. Tsikhanouskaya, the delegation at the meeting also included representatives of Belarusian political parties and People's Embassies. Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya and Nicola Beer discussed holding the regime […]
March 01, 2023
Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya addressed the European Parliament
Ms. Tsikhanouskaya met with members of the delegation on relations with Belarus led by Juozas Olekas. Members of the European Parliament and members of the groups For Democratic Belarus in various national parliaments, including Moldova and Ukraine, also took part in the meeting. Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya called for continuing support for political prisoners, joining the International […]
March 01, 2023
Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya’s speech at the Centre for European Policy Studies (CEPS) in Brussels, 2023
“Vice-President Margrethe Vestager, Secretary General Marija Buric, Thank you for inviting me to take part in this discussion, and many thanks to Karel Lannoo for organizing and moderating it. It is an honor for me to speak here at the celebration of one of Europe's most important think tanks in the name of the millions of […]
March 01, 2023
Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya’s speech at the College of Europe in Brugge, 2023
“Dear Rector Mogherini, Dear Diplomats, Students, friends, A year ago, Russia attacked our sisters and brothers in Ukraine. It was a year of a million human tragedies and as many acts of everyday heroism. The war took thousands of Ukrainian lives and destroyed countless homes. These terrible crimes will never be forgiven and will never […]
February 28, 2023
Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya commented on the new sentence for Siarhei Tsikhanouski
“The illegal court decided to add another one and a half years to my husband's sentence. Siarhei Tsikhanouski did not plead guilty. That’s because he should not be doing these one and a half years, he should not be in prison at all. What these judges and prosecutors did was just to invent new ways […]
February 27, 2023
Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya commented on the potential sentences for her and other defendants in her “case”
“The penalties of 12 to 19 years to people outside Belarus is the best example of how the regime really treats Belarusians who stand for democracy. This is how sincere the intentions of any commission inviting Belarusians home are. Therefore, I want to repeat once again: dear Belarusians, take care of your safety as much […]
February 27, 2023
Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya will be in Brussels on a working visit from February 28 to March 2
On February 28, Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya will take part in an event to address the students of the College of Europe and European Diplomatic Academy. She will meet the Rector and former High Representative of the European Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Federica Mogherini. Ms. Tsikhanouskaya will also participate in a CEPS 40th anniversary […]
February 27, 2023
Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya spoke at a rally in support of Mikalai Statkevich, who has already spent 1000 days behind bars, and all Belarusian political prisoners
Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya: “Mikalai Statkevich and Siarhei Tsikhanouski have already spent 1000 days behind bars. A terrible figure. And although these men are courageous, unyielding, and will endure, these 1000 days are stolen from them and their families. In our apartment, there are photographs of Siarhei everywhere so that the children do not forget what he […]
February 26, 2023
During the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly session, Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya visited the permanent mission of Ukraine to the OSCE
Ms. Tsikhanouskaya met with the head of the Ukrainian delegation to the OSCE, Mykyta Poturayev, who previously served as an advisor to President Zelensky and is now the chairman of the committee on humanitarian affairs in the Ukrainian Parliament. Other members of the Ukrainian Parliament from different factions were also present at the meeting. Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya […]
February 24, 2023
On the anniversary of the war, Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya visited a Ukrainian exhibition in Vienna
The exhibition featured an installation of destroyed Ukrainian homes, photographs of destroyed cities, and photos showing the courage of Ukrainian fighters. There were many Belarusian white-red-white and Ukrainian yellow-blue flags present. The Ukrainian diaspora organized the exhibition, but many Belarusians living in Austria also supported the event. Ms. Tsikhanouskaya spoke with participants and expressed solidarity […]
February 24, 2023
Lukashenka’s MP tried to disrupt Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya’s speech before the OSCE PA. Only Russia supported him
All delegations were present in the room, including the delegations of Russia and the Lukashenka regime. When the President of the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly, Margareta Cederfelt, proposed the agenda for approval, Savinykh protested. He claimed that Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya supposedly had no right to speak because “she is wanted internationally for an attempted seizure of power.” […]
February 24, 2023